Core i5-12400F vs Core i5-14450HX

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14450HX.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 23,557).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i5-14450HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-14450HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-14450HX

2024

Why buy it

✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i5-14450HX

2024

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14450HX.

Why buy it

✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 23,557).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i5-14450HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-14450HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-14450HX better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i5-14450HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.7% average FPS lead across 30 shared CPU game tests in our data, 20.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-14450HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.7% more average FPS across 30 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14450HX is the better fit. You are getting 20.6% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-14450HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-14450HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 30 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-14450HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Core i5-14450HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14450HX
1080p
low	183 FPS	252 FPS
medium	168 FPS	242 FPS
high	139 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	218 FPS
medium	132 FPS	187 FPS
high	106 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	151 FPS
medium	81 FPS	129 FPS
high	64 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-14450HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14450HX
1080p
low	471 FPS	555 FPS
medium	397 FPS	470 FPS
high	341 FPS	393 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	361 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	457 FPS
medium	351 FPS	402 FPS
high	309 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	300 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	279 FPS
medium	248 FPS	246 FPS
high	229 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	203 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-14450HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14450HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	589 FPS
medium	488 FPS	526 FPS
high	488 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	588 FPS
medium	488 FPS	484 FPS
high	485 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	369 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	433 FPS
medium	389 FPS	371 FPS
high	337 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	284 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-14450HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14450HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	589 FPS
medium	488 FPS	589 FPS
high	488 FPS	589 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	589 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	589 FPS
medium	488 FPS	589 FPS
high	488 FPS	588 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	512 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	531 FPS
medium	450 FPS	486 FPS
high	391 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	378 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-14450HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i5-14450HX

Core i5-12400F

The Core i5-12400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,532 points. Launch price was $180.

Core i5-14450HX

The Core i5-14450HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): + 20 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 23,557 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-14450HX offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-14450HX has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-14450HX — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-14450HX (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-14450HX uses Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i5-14450HX's 23,557 — a 18.7% lead for the Core i5-14450HX. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-14450HX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14450HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+4%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+11%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024)
PassMark	19,532	23,557+21%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-14450HX uses FCBGA1964 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-14450HX supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14450HX
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1964
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

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Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-14450HX). The Core i5-14450HX includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i5-14450HX targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14450HX
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Mobile